Meaningful middle names – tips and tricks for choosing them

If you choose it wisely, the humble middle name can be a lot more than just an annoyance when filling out paperwork, says Sabrina Rogers-Anderson. Here she shares her tips for choosing a middle name your child won't regret in years to come.

As if it isn’t hard enough to pick a first name for your baby, you also have to choose another one that sounds nice sandwiched between the first and last. (Well, you don’t actually have to pick a middle name, but most Aussies have one.)

You might just want a middle name that sounds nice. The very feminine Rose, Grace and May are popular choices for girls, while the classic monikers James, John and William are frequently used for boys.

But if you want to choose a name that will hold special meaning for you and your child, there are several avenues to explore …

Top tips for choosing a meaningful middle name

Honour a family member (or two)

Perhaps you’d like to show one of your parents how much they mean to you by using their first name as your child’s middle name. Or you could honour a late grandmother or favourite uncle instead. It’s also a great way to carry on a family name tradition without having to name your bub Henry VIII.

Can’t decide between your nan and your hubby’s great-aunt? Use both! A growing number of parents are choosing to bestow two middle names on their kids – one from each side of the family.

Keep your maiden name alive

If you’d love for your child to carry your surname but you’re not keen on double-barrelling, why not use it as a middle name? It can create a link between all family members if you’ve chosen to keep your maiden name, or honour your former identity if you had a hard time parting with it when you got married.

Give a nod to your heritage

Your cultural background can be a rich source of inspiration. If you or your partner were born in another country, you can turn to the homeland for name options. Alternatively, your parents’ heritage can provide meaningful appellations. Just be sure to check whether your state’s Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages will allow you to spell it in its original form – I found this out the hard way!

Choose a name that is meaningful to you … even if no-one gets it

Did you meet your partner in Adelaide? Honeymoon in Milan? Place names that are close to your heart can make wonderful middle names. Other options include favourite TV or movie characters (Khaleesi, anyone?), or any obscure reference that only you and your family will understand.

When we found out we couldn’t use the accent on Fée for my daughter’s middle name, we opted for the alternate spelling, Fae. It also means ‘fairy’ and is a subtle (and completely silly) nod to our favourite TV show, True Blood.

While I’ve often cautioned against trendy or whacky first names, I do think you can take greater liberties with middle names as they aren’t used on a daily basis. Just don’t go too crazy!

Wait! There’s more …

Before you ink that birth certificate, take a few minutes to consider these factors:

Initials

Rhythm

Say the three names out loud to determine whether they flow nicely. You can also write them out on a piece of paper to see if they look nice together. For example, if you’ve chosen a long first name and you have a long last name, you might want to choose a short middle name.

Google it

If there’s a murderer or a porn star out there with the exact same name, you might want to reconsider.